Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Jul 23 (PTI) A 70-year-old woman lost part of her left toe after a rat bit it in the post-operative ward of a government hospital here on Thursday, a source at the state-run health facility said.
An official at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital here said the administration had undertaken rodent-control measures following the incident.
“The medical staff examined the wound, cleaned it and administered tetanus and other preventive vaccines to the patient,” he said.
He said her vital signs and overall health were stable and that she had not suffered any serious side effects.
The patient, R Tamilkodi, a resident of Alathur near Kalkandarkottai, underwent surgery after sustaining an injury to her left ankle in a fall on July 20.
Her son, Vijayakumar, who had gone to the ward on Thursday morning to give her tea, noticed that rats had bitten off part of her left big toe, he said.
“I had noticed rats in the ward and had informed the hospital authorities to take appropriate action. However, no action has been taken so far. After I reported today’s incident, the medical team examined my mother and administered vaccines to prevent infection,” he told reporters.
Vijayakumar claimed that his mother did not realise she had been bitten because she was diabetic.
Expressing shock over the incident, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami hit out at the state government over the “poor maintenance” of government hospitals and alleged that state ministers were busy celebrating the release of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s latest film.
“The news that an elderly woman undergoing treatment at the Trichy Government General Hospital had part of her toe bitten off by rats is shocking. The incident is a testament to how the current government is maintaining government hospitals in Tamil Nadu,” Palaniswami said.
Seeking to know the state government’s response to the incident, the former CM sarcastically remarked that while patients were suffering, state ministers were celebrating the theatrical release of ‘Jana Nayagan’, and posting selfies.
“Media reports indicate that the CM and his ministers have taken ‘leave’ today to watch the film, unmindful of what the people are going through. I strongly condemn the current government,” Palaniswami claimed in a statement. PTI JSP SSK
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